Past Event: The Terrorism-Trafficking Nexus

A Clear and Present Danger?

From February 21-22, 2013, MonTREP hosted a timely conference on the increasingly important topic of the terrorism-trafficking nexus. We are now anticipating a book on the topic of the Nexus that will incorporate many of the papers that were presented at the conference. This book should be out in late-2013 under McGraw-Hill Education. Stay tuned for more information about the book.

General Information

The relationship between terrorism and criminal trafficking organizations has been of increasing national and international security interest since the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001. Both terrorism and organized crime networks pose a threat to international security; therefore, the nexus of criminal cartels and terrorist groups seemingly augments the threat and reach of both organizations and has led some experts to declare it a “clear and present danger.” Is the terrorist-trafficking nexus really an imminent threat to security or is it just hype?

This conference was generously sponsored by the Lynde and Harry Bradley Foundation. The Bradley Foundation is a private, independent grant making organization based in Milwaukee. A Bradley Foundation grant was awarded to General Howard for the planning and execution of this conference. In addition, findings from the conference will be published in a 2013 McGraw-Hill book on the terrorism-trafficking nexus.

Additionally, the support of the Middlebury Institute of International Studies has been invaluable in putting on this conference. Both the venue and additional funding has been provided by the Institute.